Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

J. MQLAGHLANL DITGHING ZMAOHIINE. No. 340,141. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

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iinrran JOHN MOLAGHLAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BlTCHING-MACHINE.

SPEOIEECAI'IQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,141, dated April 20, 1886.

Application filed November 2, 1883. Renewed March 24, 1886. Serial No. 196,423. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MOLAOHLAN, of Chicago, county ofCook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, that will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary ditching-machines; and it consists of a main rotating wheel formed of a number of excavating-buckets arranged radially, having a common hub, the earth removed dropping into the center, and from thence being carried outward and deposited on each side of the ditch by means of a spiral conveyer having a right and left pitch from the center.

It also consists of other features for operating and supporting the different parts of the mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in detail, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my improved features; Fig. 2, a plan view; Fig. 3, a central vertical transverse section. Fig. 4 is a central transverse section of the spiral conveyer and tubular shaft. Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the opposite side from that of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a side elevation of the track, and Fig. 7 a plan of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the frame-work supporting the different parts of the mechanism. The excavating-wheel B consists of a number of curved scoop-like buckets, B, having serrated cutting-edges, which are arranged radially with reference to each other and rotate in a common plane. The hub to which the buckets are attached consists of the two flange-disks A. A, to the outer sides of which are in turn attached the annular bearing-boxes a a, which rotate on the an nular bearing; collars a (L3, which arrangement forms the required journal-bearings for the movement and support of the excavatingwhcel, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The bearing-boxes a a are of the angular form shown, the vertical part being secured to the disks carrying the buckets. The bearing-collars a a are rigidly secured to the stathe buckets which corresponds to said opening in the shaft inclosing the conveyer. The conveyer is pitched right'and left from the center-,so that the earth willbe about equally divided and deposited on each side of the ditch and out of the way of the machine through the openings A A at each end of, and in the under side of the tubular ,conveyer-shaft. The excavating-buckets widen backward from the cutting-point, so that the earth will the more readily free itself, and are then slightly contracted toward the base to carry the earth more to the center of the opening communicating with the conveyer. The buckets may also be removably secured in position, so that larger or smaller buckets may be substituted, in accordance with the size of the ditch required. The main driving-shaft B is located near the front end of the machine, the motive power employed being transmitted through the medium of the gear-wheel B and pinion B, which may have any suitable connection with the source of power. The sprocketwheel a is attached to the hub of the excavating-wheel, and the companion sprocket-wheel,

a, is placed on the main shaft, the two being connected by means of the link-belt b, by which means the necessary motion and power is transmitted to the excavating-wheel. gear-wheel b is placed on the opposite end of the hub and engages with the pinion I) on the inner end of the shaft b which is supported in suitable bearings. end of this shaft is placed the gear-wheel b, engaging with the pinion b on the conveyershal't b, by which arrangement motion is imparted to the conveyer simultaneously with the movement of the excavating-wheel.

The track 0 (shown in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings) supports the whole weight of the machine when the same is in operation and moving forward, the track remaining stationary. One side of this track is provided with the rack-bar G, with which the gear-wheel G engages. This gear-wheel is supported on the On the opposite I IOO inner end of the short shaft 0, while the ratch et-wheel G is placed on the outer end. The rocking arm 0 is-also connected to the shaft G and projects upward therefrom, and has one end of the eccentric-rod O pivoted thereto, as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite end of the rod C has the usual eccentric connection with the driving-shaft, which arrangement imparts the required movement to the machine as it is intermittently fed forward by the feeddog (1, which engages with the ratchet-wheel C, and is pivoted to the rocking eccentric arm C The pawl d, engaging with the same ratchet-wheel, locks the same against a back movement. The track 0 is provided, near the front end, with the embedded friction-rol1ers d, and with the friction-rollers (i placed at each side of and supported above the surface of the track by means the brackets d. These latter rollers rest upon a part of the base or bed timbers D D,supporting the framework of the machine proper, and serve to retain the track in proper relation to the same and ease the movement of the track as it is adjusted to a new position.

The weight of the whole machine is supported on the track Owhen ditching; butwhen the machine has traveled the length of the rack-bar on the track the weight of the machine is shifted to the outside base-timbers, D" D", and the track moved forward another length. Thisalternate changeisaccomplished through the medium of the following mechanism: The two shafts D D are placed lengthwise of and near the top of the machine and in a vertical line with the base-timbers D D Each end of these shafts carry the bevel gearwheels (1 which engage with the corresponding bevel-gears, d, on the upper ends of the vertical screw-shafts E, placed at each corner ofthe machine. A simultaneous movement is imparted to the horizontal shafts D D by the horizontal transverse shaft E, provided with the beveled gear-wheels E on both ends, engaging with the companion wheels on the screw-shafts E and the longitudinal shafts D D. The lower ends of the vertical screwshafts E are threaded and engage with the threaded nuts E", secured to the under side of the cross-timbers E E The lower ends of the brace-timbers e are secured to the timbers D D", while the upper ends incline toward each other, and are connected by the caps 6, through which the verticalscrew-shafts E pass. The collars e are rigidly secured to said shafts close to the under side of the caps e, and bear against the same when the screw-shafts are raised, thereby lifting the base-timbers D D when necessary to transfer the weight of the machine. The timbers D D are forced down by means of the companion collars, e, on the top of caps or cross-pieces 6 when the shafts E are screwed down, the lower end of these screw-shafts having no bearing on the timbers D" D. Corresponding cross -timbers, F F,

'having connection with the vertical shafts E,

at the top of the frame-work supporting the mechanism. Now, by putting this system of connecting'shafts and bevel gear-wheels into motion, the machine is lifted at the four corners from the track and the wei ht transferred to the outside base-timbers, D D". of the machine being raised from the track proper, permits the same to be moved forward again to a new position; then, by rotating the system of shafts in the opposite direction the machine is lowered onto the track, and can then be fed forward another length of the track, and so on alternately as the work progresses. This construction and arrangement The weight permits of the use of good broad track-timbers and of any desired length, so that the machine can be used in low and marshy places to a much better advantage than if supported and propelled on wheels. The front end of the framework or machine is provided with the rotary harrow F, which serves the purpose of loosening up'the soil, while the spiral conveyer F, located just back of the harrow, levels the earth, and the roller I smooths the surface. Motion is transmitted to the harrow from the main shaft by means of the belt F and to the conveyer F by means ofthe belted connection F. The roller I is rotated by reason of frictional contact with the earth as the machine moves forward.

Suitable mechanism will be provided whereby the machine may be adjust-ed or set to out different depths; but as nothing new nor particularly novel is embraced a description of such mechanism is omitted.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with an excavating-wheel composed of a nu mber of curved buckets, arranged as described, of a stationary tubular shalt or chamber around which said wheel is adapted to revolve, the top. part or upper side of said shaft inclosed by said wheel being provided with an elongated opening corresponding to the open space at the base of each bucket, and through which the earth gravitates into the tubular shaft from each bucket in regular order, as described.

2. The combination, with an excavatingwheel consisting of a number of curved buckets attached to a common hub, of a tubular shaft upon which the excavating wheel is mounted, having a suitable opening in the upper side thereof, and a spiral conveyer arranged on the inside of said shaft and having a right and left pitch from a common center, whereby the earth discharged from the buckets into the shaft is carried outward toward each end and deposited out of the way on each side of the ditch being excavated, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a series of radially-arranged excavating -buckets, of the flange-disks A A, the angular bearing-boxes a a, the bearing-collars a a and the tubular stationary shaft A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a track adapted to have an independent adjustment and movement relative to the supporting framework, of a rack-bar attached to said track, a pinion mounted on the inner end of the shaft 0 and adapted to engage with said rack-bar, a ratchet-wheel mounted on the opposite end of said shaft, a feed-dog pivoted to the rocking arm O and engaging with said ratchet-wheel, and the rod 0 having one end secured to the rocking arm and the opposite end having an eccentric connection with the main driving-shaft, whereby the machine is intermittently moved forward in the manner described.

5. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a system of horizontally and vertically J OH1\ MoLAOHLAN.

Witnesses:

L. M. FREEMAN, L. B. COUPLAND. 

